The decision of Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam to pull his bandana out of the ring of ire that is the Fifty Shades of Grey movie has whipped fans and media alike into a frenzy of excitement – and perhaps offers a glimpse of how powerful, and potentially disruptive, fandom can be.

Hunnam – whose performance in Pacific Rim, his only film lead to date, was a little hard to distinguish from that of the robots – announced on the weekend that he was pulling out of the high-profile BDSM (big dirty sexy movie) project due to ''scheduling conflicts'' with his cable series.

(In related news pointing to a troubled production, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Oscar-nominated writer Patrick Closer Marber has been brought in for a "polish" of the screenplay.)

It seems inconceivable but apparently the English actor had neglected to check the diary before signing on to play bondage, discipline and sado-masochism aficionado Christian Grey in the adaptation of the first book in E.L. James' critically derided but enormously successful trilogy.

In a statement, Universal Studios and the film's production company, Focus Features, said: "The filmmakers of Fifty Shades Of Grey and Charlie Hunnam have agreed to find another male lead given Hunnam's immersive TV schedule which is not allowing him time to adequately prepare for the role of Christian Grey."

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If so, fair enough. Grey may be one of the hottest roles in Hollywood, but you'd have to be a glutton for punishment to take it.

The news of Hunnam's casting – alongside Dakota Johnson, the daughter of actors Melanie Griffiths and Don Johnson – prompted an outpouring of grief and rage in early September. The most concentrated manifestation was to be found in a petition on change.org that demanded the leads be recast, with Matt Bomer (star of TV series White Collar) and Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) to be instated post-haste as Grey and Anastasia Steele respectively.

Though barely literate, and relatively quiet since mid-September, that petition has attracted almost 88,000 signatures to date, and its Chilean founder responded to the weekend's news of Hunnam's withdrawal with a stream of typically hyperbolic CAPS LOCK excitement.

''I'M SO FREAKING OUT LIKE YOU GUYS I CANT BELIEVE THIS I'M SO HAPPY AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY IT'S LIKE A MIRACLE I DONT KNOW GUYS PLZ NOW MORE THAN EVER WE MUST JOIN FORCES UNTIL ARRIVE 100 K SIGNATURES WE WILL DO ALL THE POSSIBLE TO SEE MATT LIKE GREY DONT GIVE UPPPPPP XXXXX.''

While Hollywood can take some heart from such displays of passion, it also knows how quickly that passion can turn to poison. Take the case of Ben Affleck's casting as Batman, which prompted an outpouring of rage and grief all its own last month (and, naturally, its own petitions too).

''Current fandom doesn't just get upset when their favourite shows get cancelled, their preferred films flop, or casting choices for their favourite projects go awry,'' wrote columnist Scott Mendelson. ''They take to the internet to absolutely demand that they get their way as a matter of moral principle, damn the business logistics or any other logical obstacles in their way.''

Hollywood has been dabbling at the edges of fan involvement for years but as the response to the casting for Fifty Shades and Batman vs Superman shows all too clearly, it is not a strategy without its risks.

The most famous example to date of Hollywood trying to tap into fandom, and failing dismally, is the Samuel L. Jackson thriller-cum-inadvertent comedy Snakes On a Plane, whose screenplay incorporated suggestions from fans. Predictably enough to everyone but the producers, the result was a mess and the movie crashed on take-off.

Still, some in showbiz see the Hunnam withdrawal as a good thing. ''So Charlie Hunnam leaves Fifty Shades of Grey because 'That's what the fans want','' tweeted budding comedian Will Rodgers. ''Your move Ben Affleck.''

Two And A Half Men star Jon Cryer quipped: ''Now's my chance!!''

Seth Rogen offered a casting suggestion of his own – ''I'd like the producers of Fifty Shades of Grey to consider casting my butthole as the penetrated butthole in chapter seven'' – while Australia's Wil Anderson joked that ''I hope Charlie Hunnam used his safe word before he pulled out of Fifty Shades Of Grey''.

But Hollywood veteran Bette Midler had a different take. ''I can't believe they hounded Charlie Hunnam out of 50 Shades of Grey,'' she tweeted. ''This is a first. Since when does the audience get a say in casting??''

The answer: since the internet and social media gave the studios instant feedback on every aspect of a production, even before it's made, that's when.

And given Hollywood's addiction to populism and fear of taking risks, this first time – if that's what it really is – is unlikely to be the last.